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A
short history of the "puffer"

The earliest “puffers” date from the mid to late 1800s. At
first they were essentially canal vessels and the dimensions
of the early Clyde puffers were governed
by the size of the locks on 39 miles of the Forth & Clyde Canal through which they
worked. A
length of around 66 feet (20.30m) and a beam of 16 to 18 feet (5.54m) seems to
have been the norm.

Puffers Portlight,
Raylight and Sir James at Crinan. Courtesy the Crawford
Alexander Collection

The outside boats develop

Design of these canal vessels changed as they began to work out into estuarial waters
producing “shorehead” types. By the late 1800s more robust seagoing “outside” boats were
being developed. They had greater freeboard, but were built to the familiar 66 foot length so
that the Forth & Clyde continued to be open to them. A number of “outside”
boats were were also built to around 80 feet
overall (26.60m).

The puffer continued in use until the first World War but numbers gave way to
road transport and to the increasing cost of coal and maintenance; the last of
the “true” puffers were built in 1930 - 39.However, with the advent of World War II vessels of this
type were again needed, this time for fleet work, and the Ministry ordered the
construction of Victualling Inshore Craft (VICs), to be built on the lines of Anxac
and Lascar (1939 boats).In
all over 100 VICs were built between 1941 and 1946, the great majority to be in
steam and a few only with diesel propulsion.

VICs built between 1941 and 1944 were, in the main 66.8 feet overall
(20.50m approx). With VIC 49, boats at 80.5 overall (29.6m approx) were
introduced and many were built at this length by the end of the war.

P

he
Puffer today

A
few Puffers remain as you will see from the list below.In the main they are the later VICs but the early 1902 boat Basuto
is still afloat at the National Waterways Museum in Ellesmere Port. Why
the curious name ?That name came from
the sound of the steam exhaust outlet to the funnel in the earliest boats, and has
remained with them since, even after the advent of diesel propulsion.They were remarkably
tough small steam traders and the ability of the "outside" boats to
trade into the Western Islands through all weathers is extraordinary. This is
Roman unloading ashore on Bute, one of many early photographs from Dan
MacDonald's "The
Clyde Puffer" (see below)

Contact us

We welcome
additions to the page from groups and restoration societies, and we are always
pleased to hear news of these vessels. Additional photographs are very
welcome, particularly when they show the sort of detail which modellers need. Please
contact us at tradboat@btinternet.com

Recommended
reading

"
The Clyde Puffer"

Don McDonald looks at the history of the
Clyde Puffer, and includes many period photographs - excellent for model
makers looking for authentic detailing.

Here
is Roman unloading on the shore.

"The
Light in the Glens"

Another excellent book on the Clyde
Puffer. Early chapters concentrate on the technical developments which go
hand in hand with the development of the Scottish canals, for many of these
vessels had to pass through them in normal trading.

This is preliminary list of vessels
afloat or in restoration in the UK, a number
of which are available for day sailings or longer holiday charters. Web
site addresses are shown where known. (VIC stands for Victualling Inshore
Craft)

Basuto

"Basuto"
A true Puffer built in 1902 by W Jacks & Co. of Port Dundas. 63ft (20.10m) and
traded by them on the Forth & Clyde Canal until 1919 before being sold
on to various other owners. She is now (Summer 2008) in the lower basin at
the National Waterways Museum, Ellesmere
Port, Cheshire. The pictures here were kindly provided by the Museum.
See: www.nwm.org.uk
(This
vessel is also on the National Register of Historic Vessels,
See: www.nationalhistoricships.org.uk)

"Pibroch"

Nigel Robson of Edinburgh came across Pibroch on a visit to
Western Ireland and kindly sent us these excellent photographs two or
three years ago. What the condition of this vessel is now we are unsure.

We believe this to be the second Pibroch commissioned by the White Horse
Distillery. (The first , built in 1932 had the funnel forward of the
wheelhouse) She is moored
alongside as you will see from the photographs. Click on any picture for a
larger version. A useful extract from an article by Jim Pottinger on the two
Pibrochs may be found at www.thepibroch.com

VIC 24 "Advance" Built 1942 Richard Dunston of Thorne.VIC 42 was
built to 66.85 feet (20.39m) overall like many other VICs from this yard and remained
in Naval service until 1943 when she was sold out. We understand this vessel still exists, and is shown on the NRHV list to be in
now in Plymouth after many years in Holland .
See: www.nationalhistoricships.org.uk

VIC 27 Built 1934,
Pimbolt. Variously "Auld Reekie", now "Maggie"
Built by Pimbolts of
Northwich in 1934 this vessel is under restoration at Inverary. More
useful photographs for detailing together with details of Vic 72 may be found on
the Inverary Maritime Experience site.
See: www.skwebpages.com/arctic/puffer.html

Also turn to the Merchant
Navy Nostalgia site where you will find a full history of this vessel together
with a number of early photographs in an article by Jim Pottinger - http://iancoombe.tripod.com

VIC 32. Built 1943 Dunston's
Shipyard, Thorne 66'4 (20.4m) overall.

VIC 32 Photo: Peter
Wilberforce

VIC 32 is thought to have worked as a supply vessel in Scapa Flow during the second
world war - perhaps carrying aviation spirit. Now she is nicely
restored and regularly available in steam for holidays.
She is run by the Puffer Preservation Trust who have recently had her re-boilered.
but of course maintenance is always on-going and needs public support. The
Trust has an active web site that gives
more details including specifications of the boat, and a series of black and white photographs from her working
days which will be invaluable to model makers.
See: www.savethepuffer.co.uk

VIC 56 Built 1945, 85'0 (26.15m) by J Pollock & Son & Co, Faversham.
VIC 56 is in excellent working order as a coal fired steamboat and
maintained by a small group of volunteers. There are public open
days a few times a year. Excellent site listing all the VICs built, plus historic photos of VIC 9,
VIC 56, and VIC 57 plus a separate series of current photographs of VIC 56.
Notes about open days, copy of the original builder's general
arrangement plan, etc.

See:www.vic56.co.uk
Photo: James Packer
Click on the photograph for a larger version

Diesel powered, she was built in 1944 by S & D Brown, Brams Dry Dock, in
Hull. In 1994 she traded for the Easdale Shipping Company who renamed her Eilean
Eisdeal. Now at Inverary Maritime Museum she was renamed in 2006 Vital
Spark of Glasgow.
There are useful photographs of VIC 72 on the Museum site, current and in her working days.
Scheduled trips. (This vessel is also on the
NRHV list.)
See:www.skwebpages.com/arctic/puffer.html

Built 1945 by Pollock & Son & Co Ltd. Faversham. She was originally
commissioned by the War Office in 1945. Like other VICs, she carried
supplies to the moored RN fleets in ports such as Sheerness and Chatham during
WWII. She is still under steam, powered by her original Crabtree coal
fired engine. This
vessel was at the Maryport Steamship Museum, Maryport, Cumbria, but left there
on 5th July 2009 to voyage home to Chatham where she now is to be found in No1
Basin where model makers will find her, (although she is currently out of the
water (2012) at Acorn Wharf.) Contact the trust about visits.

VIC 96 is now in
the hands of a restoration group. - The VIC 96 Trust See: www.vic96.co.uk
for more information.

Our photograph is a detail from the photo previously on the Maryport
Steamship Museum website, with kind permission. Click on the photograph
for a slightly larger view.

VIC 99

This photograph of VIC 99 was sent to us recently (Nov 2008) . It was
was taken by Robert Anderson about eighteen years ago which would make it
around 1990. It's interesting to compare the view with that of the VIC at
the head of the page which has similar bulwarks and wheel house, and that of VIC
32.

This charming Puffer Dileas,
built by Eddie Webb of Knitghtcote MBC, features working lights, cabin
illumination a smoke generator, Western Islands charts on the miniature chart
table, and a deck hand forward carrying an illuminated lantern!

"Moonlight" Interesting site illustrating the building of a 1:24
scale model of "Moonlight" with an account of the original
research. This model won a Silver Medal at the 61st Model Engineering
Exhibition.
Web:www.north-cheshire-marine.org.uk

National Register for Historic Vessels (NRHV)Web:www.nationalhistoricships.org.uk
Lists and illustrates a number of Clyde Puffers including VIC 24,
Vic 32 and provides suitable links where these are known.
(This site has an excellent research facility and we recommend it for any
vessel, Ed.)